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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Vine
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Midterms, Week 1, Monday.
“You’re still not going?”
“We have plenty of time, and a lot to learn. Let’s focus on classes for now.”
“Hmm… Indeed. Observing the situation before jumping in isn’t a bad idea.”
I focused on classes.
Protagonist’s group started their first request.
[Goblin Subjugation]
Total Points: 5
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Midterms, Week 1, Wednesday.
“Chrono, do you have a plan?”
“Sort of.”
“Can’t you tell me?”
“Are you Ther’s spy?!”
“I wish I were…”
“…Sorry.”
I focused on classes.
Protagonist’s group continued with requests for three days straight.
[Goblin Subjugation]
[Herb Gathering]
Etc.
Total Points: 28
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Midterms, Week 1, Friday.
“Hey.”
“What?”
“Aren’t you going on any requests?”
“Later.”
“Well, if you’re struggling, you can always rely on me!”
“You’re in a different class.”
“Eh, it’s not a crime if you don’t get caught.”
“Impressive.”
Focused on classes, gained SP.
Protagonist’s group took a break.
Total Points: 28
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Midterms, Week 1, Sunday.
“Ther went out with Merck…”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“I don’t know…”
“…Want me to buy you dinner?”
“…”
“Come out.”
Team member mental care.
Ther pursuing Merck.
Total Points: 28
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Midterms, Week 2, Monday.
“Everyone’s starting to move.”
“Really?”
“So, shouldn’t we start moving too…?”
“We still have time.”
“…”
“Just wait this week.”
I immersed myself in classes again.
Ther’s group on a request.
[Cave Slime Extermination]
Total Points: 33
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Midterms, Week 2, Wednesday.
“This is delicious…”
“…Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“Huh? About what?”
“I thought you’d nag me about not going on requests.”
“Hmm… Chrono has a plan, right?”
“Your trust is putting pressure on me…”
Club quest triggered, gained SP.
Ther’s group encountered a problem during their request, but escaped safely. Note: Clothes torn, weapons stolen.
Total Points: 33
Midterms, Week 2, Friday.
“That bastard is insane! I told him it was a trap so many times, but he thinks he’s invincible like you! God, he’s so infuriating!”
“What? Are you in the same party as Ther?”
“…He’s the only one in Class A who’s on my level.”
“Don’t party with him.”
“…Are you jealous?”
“Yes.”
“…”
“And don’t get too close to other guys either.”
“Uh…”
“Ugh…”
“…”
“What? Why are you suddenly quiet?”
“Shut up!”
Gained SP through classes.
Ther’s group regrouping.
Total Points: 33
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Midterms, Week 2, Saturday.
“I’ve investigated the most popular requests in our class.”
“I was surprised you wanted to meet, but you prepared all this?”
“It’s my duty as class president.”
“If that’s your duty, then what is Merck in the next class?”
“She’s… ‘that’ by default.”
“You sound like you’ve given up.”
“I have.”
“…Wow.”
Strategy meeting. Not very productive.
Ther’s group regrouping with Merck. Juno’s infidelity event probability increased!
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Midterms, Week 3, Monday.
“We have to go on a request today.”
“Okay.”
“We can’t hesitate any longer—huh?”
“Let’s go.”
Time to move.
I wanted to spend another week farming SP, but I needed to be prepared for unexpected situations.
I took Minerva and Juno to the faculty office to inform them of our request.
“Going on a request? Work hard. But remember there are penalties for failure, so pace yourselves.”
“Thank you.”
Sound advice, not something you’d expect from an NTR villain. Well, he appeared to be a diligent homeroom teacher on the surface.
I bowed and left the office.
“Did we get permission?”
“Yeah, we can head to the request location now.”
“That’s a relief. So, which request are we taking?”
“Well…”
I had something in mind.
‘Will they accept it?’
I glanced back.
“Hmm…!”
Minerva looked eager,
“…”
While Juno seemed a little down.
Their condition was slightly above average. I could manage this.
I pointed at the request board.
“Here.”
“I see, herb gathering. Easy and safe—”
“—From here to there.”
“…Huh?”
I swept all the request forms off the board. Now, all that was left was to get approval from the staff at the desk.
I was about to hand the thick stack of forms to the staff member when—
“W-Wait! Just a moment, please!”
“Huh? Why?”
Minerva stopped me.
“…Are you insane?”
“I’m perfectly sane.”
Minerva questioned my sanity out of the blue.
She stammered,
“If you fail a request… you can’t take requests for a week per failed request. You know that, right?”
“Of course I do.”
“Then why are you…”
…doing this crazy thing?
She didn’t say it out loud, but her eyes spoke volumes. I wasn’t sure how to convince her, so I resorted to the most effective method.
“What do you think, Juno? Do you not trust me?”
“…No, I trust Chrono.”
“Then it’s settled by majority vote.”
“No, wait—ah, ah…!”
Her protests were futile against the majority. The request forms were submitted and returned with approval stamps.
“The deadline is one day. For every failed request, you won’t be able to submit requests for a week.”
“Okay.”
One day was more than enough. It didn’t mean we had to finish everything within today.
I tucked the forms away and said,
“Meet me at the bus stop in front of the academy in two hours.”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
A sudden question, but:
What is the proper way to handle requests?
The conventional wisdom is to:
Take on requests within your capabilities.
Complete them diligently without failing.
…But has anyone actually followed this?
No.
Absolutely not.
I can say with certainty that we don’t complete quests one by one. We take them all at once and clear them in one go.
Taking all the request forms might seem crazy, but there’s a method to my madness.
“There they are.”
Since I only took the top row, the request locations were all close together or overlapping.
There were high-point requests, but I had the power to handle them. Gathering requests could be completed with my ‘eye.’ So, what did I need?
‘Time and manpower.’
Maximize time, minimize manpower. And for that, I needed this backpack.
“Is that… the one from the survival training?”
“Yes.”
“…Don’t tell me.”
“You got it!”
Minerva caught on quickly.
I grinned.
“We’re going camping!”
“…Why didn’t you tell us beforehand?”
“Would it have made a difference?”
“At least we could have prepared mentally!”
“You would have protested if I gave you time to prepare.”
“Of course I would!”
Minerva’s voice rose, unlike her usual composed self. This ‘pile of request forms’ was probably beyond her comprehension.
‘Their reactions in the game were the same…’
Mars enthusiastically agreed.
Minerva kept asking, “Are you serious?”
As expected of the two main heroines of Part 1.
“Chrono, isn’t that backpack heavy?”
“It’s fucking heavy.”
Juno, who had been watching quietly, looked at my backpack with concern. It was indeed heavy. The one-touch tent, food, water, and other supplies added up.
…But what’s the point of complaining?
“But the barbell at the club was heavier.”
“…”
Thanks to the intense training, this was manageable. Well, not exactly easy, but not unbearable either. I could manage with some breaks and buffs from [Ur’s Harp].
I adjusted the backpack and explained the plan.
“We’re going to three places:”
The goblin habitat.
The mountain near the goblin habitat.
And the slime cave in that mountain.
“I see… so we’ll start with the goblin habitat?”
“No, we’re climbing the mountain first.”
“…”
What the hell is this guy doing?
Minerva’s eyes seemed to ask.
It might be hard for her to understand, but this was based on my experience.
“We could attack the habitat right away. But moving around will tire us out, and fighting when we’re exhausted is suicidal.”
“But… camping on a mountain won’t improve our condition.”
“You really think so?”
“Huh? What do you—ah!”
She seemed to realize something.
“You’re planning to recreate the survival training?”
“Resting in a dirty environment has drawbacks, but resting in a good environment improves your condition.”
Plus, I could give them buffs. That settled it.
“So, first,”
We climb the mountain. Gather herbs, clear the slime cave. Rest, and then finish by clearing the goblin habitat. That was the plan.
“It certainly seems doable, but…”
“Looks tough? It’s okay. You can do anything if you put your mind to it.”
“…You seem accustomed to this sort of thing?”
“I am… accustomed.”
Because I came from a place where if you said you couldn’t do it, you’d be forced to do it until you could.
My eyes teared up a little, but I was fine now. That experience made me stronger.
…Or maybe, it would have been better to live a weaker life.
Ha.